Game device



March 26, 1963 w. A. TERSCHAK 3,083,020

GAME DEVICE Filed June 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Wilford A. 7rscha/r INVENTOR. 22 BY aim naw E March 26, 1963 w. A. TERSCHAK 3,083,020

GAME DEVICE Filed June 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wilford A. Trscha/r INVENTOR.

ywaoi iu Ohio The present invention generally relates to a game device generally, simulating the actions of mountain climbers.

Briefly, the present invention incorporates substantially an A-frame construction having two panels hingedly connected at the upper ends together with means adjustably interconnecting the panels below the hinge connection for varying the angle between the panels, thus varying the angle of inclination of the panels, each panel being provided with indicia thereon simulating a mountain to gether with peg holes with numerical indicia adjacent thereto for receiving pegs whereby a game piece representing a man may be moved manually from a starting position to a position resting between and on the pegs so that the game piece may climb or otherwise ascend the simulated mountain, the positioning of the pegs which actually form ledges being controlled by a spinner-type chance device. Movement of the game piece simulating a man is controlled by a push stick which requires considerable dexterity and skill in operation so that the game piece will not be dropped to a lower position or otherwise caused to fall.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a game device which is simple in construction, requires the use of skill and imagination in moving the game pieces, employs a chance device for controlling positioning of the supporting or positioning means for the game pieces, and is generally inexpensive to manufacture, yet highly entertaining.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gameboard in which the skill and dexterity required for manipulating the game pieces may be varied by varying the angle of inclination of the gameboard, thus simulating different slope steepness of the simulated mountain.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a game device in which each player has a separate gameboard and game pieces, with the movement of the game pieces from a starting position to a final position or to the summit of the simulated mountain requiring manipulation of a chance device in the form of a spinner and the manual manipulation of the game pieces involved.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE :1 is a perspective view of the game device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a group perspective view of the components which accompany the gameboard including the push stick, the connecting rod between the inclined gameboard, the pegs which form ledges, and the game pieces movable on the gameboard;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of the gameboard illustrating the movement of the game piece thereon and illustrating the dexterity required in manipulating the game piece;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the spinner employed with the present invention; and

FlGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the gameboard of the present invention illustrating the manner in which the inclination of the gameboard may be varied.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, numeral mesa-ze- Patented Mar. 26, 1963 lice generally designates the game apparatus or game device of the present invention which includes a pair of gameboards 12 and 14, each of which is rectangular in configuration and both of which are attached together along one edge thereof by a hinge connection 16 which may be of any suitable construction such as is normally employed for retaining two equal size panels 12 and 14 hingedly connected together for movement into overlying engagement with each other.

Disposed on the outer surface of each of the gameboards 12 and 14 is indioia 17 which represents a pictorial illustration of a mountain range, and particularly a single mountain. Disposed in vertically spaced, horizontal rows in each of the gameboards 12 and 14 is a plurality of apertures 18, each of which is provided with numerical indicia 20 adjacent thereto. For positioning in the apertures 18, there is provided a plurality of ledge forming devices, generally designated by numeral 22, and including a peg 24 for insertion into the aperture 18 together with a frusto-conical button-like member 26 integral with the outer end of the peg, with the button like member 26 having a circular transverse cross-sectional area. At the lower righthand corner of each gameboard there is provided a start position designated by numeral 28 which includes a pair of ledge-forming memhere 30 for supporting therebetween and thereon a cylindrical button-like game piece 32. The ledge-forming members 30 in the start position are the same as the ledge-forming members 22 and are received in apertures in the same manner.

The apertures '18 are disposed in a spaced relation such that when two of the ledge-forming members 22 are inserted into adjacent apertures 18, the game piece will be supported in the crotch formed by the two button-like projections 26 inasmuch as the diameter of the game piece 32 is greater than the distance between the conical surfaces or" the conical button-like projection 26. This relation is clearly illustrated in FIGURES l and 3 and the movement of the game piece 32 is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3 in which the game piece 32 is moved along the surface of the gameboard by virtue of the push stick 34- which may be in the form of an elongated cylindrical rod or dowel. By engaging the push stick with the lower edge of the game piece 32, the game piece may be lifted and slid along the surface of the gameboard 12 until it is brought into engagement with a crotch formed by two adjacent ledge forming members, and particularly the conical surfaces of the conical button-like projections 26.

The angle of inclination of the gameboards 12 and 14 may be varied by an adjustment rod 36 extending through apertures 33 in the side edges of the gameboards 12 and 14 generally at the longitudinal center of the side edges. The rod 36 is provided with a single aperture 40 at one end thereof for receiving a tapered pin 42 which extends above and below the rod 36. The other end of the rod 36 is provided with a plurality of apertures 44 disposed in longitudinally spaced relation for receiving therein a tapered pin or peg 46 which also extends above and below the rod 36. The tapered pin or peg 46 may be disposed in any one of several of the apertures 44, thus varying the position of the gameboards 12 and 14 in relation to each other and generally enabling the gameboards to be disposed in the full line position as illustrated in FIGURE 5 or in the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 5, thus increasing or decreasing the skill and dexterity required in moving the game piece 32 from the start position to the crotch areas between adjacent ledge forming members 22.

For controlling the positioning of the ledge-forming members 22 in the various rows of apertures, there is provided a spinner, generally designated by numeral 48,

which includes a rectangular card 50 having a pointer 52 rotatably mounted thereon and also having a plurality of concentric rows of divisions 54 having numerical indicia 56 thereon in certain division areas and having, colored areas 58 also provided thereon for indicating in which row of apertures the ledges are to be positioned and illustrating in which apertures the ledges are to be positioned.

In employing the game device of the present invention, the device is set up in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1, with each player having a gameboard facing him and the gameboard is retained in this position by the adjustable stick or rod 36. Of course, the steeper or higher the board, the greater the skill required to successfully play the game.

When starting the game, each player places two of the ledge-forming elements 22 in the two apertures provided at the start position 28 and then places a marker or game piece 32 in the crotch formed by the two button-like projections 36 as illustrated'in FIGURE 1; The marker or game piece represents a man. The'spinner is then operated and, initially, each player is concerned with the bottom colored numbers only which are in the outside row on the spinning board. When a player has a minimum of three numbers in a row and alongside of each other on the first row of numbers which may be considered a plateau, he may proceed to place the push stick under the game piece 32 and with the round end of the stick underneath the cylindrical game piece 32, the player will then proceed to move the game piece up and over so as to drop in between any two of the ledge-forming'rnembers he has previously placed in the aperture 18 as the numbers -20 come up on the spinner. When this is accomplished, a player will proceed in turnto spin for numbers in the second row of plateau of apertures until a minimum of two numbers are in, a row alongside each other in the second row and then the player in turn will proceed to move the game piece from the first plateau to the second plateau and this procedure is continued throughout the remaining plateaus above the first. plateau. If, at any time, a man falls down the mountain to a lower plateau or to the bottom, the player'must wait in turn to try again. The ledge-forming. members are not removed from the gameboard during the game even if a man falls. If the man or game piece falls to the bottom he is to be placed in the start position and inturn to proceed in the usual manner of playing the game to the first plateau, then to the second, etc. Of course, the person first reaching the top of the mountain with hisv game piece will be the winner and each movement. of the game piece is considered one turn, one spin on the spinner is considered one turn, and a player may try only for a single plateau at a time and, of course, cannot try for the next plateau until the ledge-forming members are in position. The gameboards may be conveniently constructed of heavy cardboard or the like while the game pieces, adjusting rod, push stick and ledge-formingmembers may be constructed of wood, plastic, metal or the like, and the spinner may also be constructed of cardboard with a metal or plastic spinner or arrow mounted thereon.

The two surfaces of the gameboard may be covered with a smooth surfaced paper. or the like chemically or otherwise treated to insure a smooth slippery surface'to assure the sliding movement of the game pieces. This type of surface may be obtained by any suitable coating procedure thus assuring proper operation of the game pieces. 7

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A game device comprising a pair of gameboards, means hingedly connecting one edge of the gameboards together, means adjustably connecting the gameboards together inspaced relation to the hinge means, thereby retaining the gameboards in acute angular relation to each other whereby the free edges of the gameboards may rest on a supporting surface and the angle of inclination of the gameboards may be adjusted by varying the means interconnecting the gameboards, each gameboard having a plurality of vertically spaced rows of apertures therein, peg members insertable into the apertures, numerical indicia adjacent each of the apertures whereby the peg members may be inserted therein in response to a chance device, and a movable game piece in the form of a disk movable along the surface of the gameboard to rest in crotches formed-byadjacent peg members, the diameter of the disk being greater than the distance between adjacent peg members whereby the peg members will support the disk when placed on adjacent peg members, and a push stick directly engageable with the disk for moving the disk along the gameboard surface for elevating the disk from a start position to the various crotches formed by the peg members positioned in the various vertically spaced rows of apertures.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said means interconnecting the gameboards includes an elongated rod 7 extending through the gameboards, a tapered pin extending transversely at one end of the rod, the other end of the rod having a plurality of longitudinally spaced aper tures for receiving a tapered pin therethrough, thereby varying the inclination of the gameboards in relation to each other and thereby varying the degree of skill required for moving the disk along the gameboard surface.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 together with a spinner forming a chance control device for determining the positioning. of the. peg members in the apertures, said spinner including concentric areas having numerical indicia thereon corresponding with the numerical indicia in the rows of apertures, the apertures in the rows pro- 7 gressively diminishing in number from the bottom to the top of the gameboard whereby the apertures generally form a triangular outline simulating a mountain, and background indicia on the gameboard simulating a mountain whereby the movement of the disk into the crotches between the peg members will simulate a man climbing the mountain. i

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein each of said peg {members includes a generally frusto-conical buttonlike projection disposed against the outer surface of the gameboard for forming a crotch that is inwardly and downwardly inclined in relation to the gameboard for retaining the disk moreeffectively therein.

5. A game device comprising a gameboard including a substantially vertically disposed inclined surface, means 7 adjustably supporting the gameboard in vertically inclined position, said gameboard having a plurality of vertically spaced rows of apertures, peg members insertable into said apertures, and a game piece movable along the surface of the gameboard, said peg members when disposed in adjacent apertures being spaced apart a lesser distance than the diametrical distance of the game piece whereby the adjacent peg members form a crotch for receiving a game piece, said surface of the gameboard being smooth to facilitate movement of the game piece thereon, and a manually operated rod for directly contacting and moving the game piece along the smooth surface.

' equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

5. A GAME DEVICE COMPRISING A GAMEBOARD INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED INCLINED SURFACE, MEANS ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING THE GAMEBOARD IN VERTICALLY INCLINED POSITION, SAID GAMEBOARD HAVING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED ROWS OF APERTURES, PEG MEMBERS INSERTABLE INTO SAID APERTURES, AND A GAME PIECE MOVABLE ALONG THE SURFACE OF THE GAMEBOARD, SAID PEG MEMBERS WHEN DISPOSED IN ADJACENT APERTURES BEING SPACED APART A LESSER DISTANCE THAN THE DIAMETRICAL DISTANCE OF THE GAME PIECE WHEREBY THE ADJACENT PEG MEMBERS FORM A CROTCH FOR RECEIVING A GAME PIECE, SAID SURFACE OF THE GAMEBOARD BEING SMOOTH TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF THE GAME PIECE THEREON, AND A MANUALLY OPERATED ROD FOR DIRECTLY CONTACTING AND MOVING THE GAME PIECE ALONG THE SMOOTH SURFACE. 